West Bengal elections: 70 per cent voter turnout recorded till 3 pm in second phase of polling

West Bengal elections: 70 per cent voter turnout recorded till 3 pm in second phase of polling

Over 1.2 crore voters will seal the fate of 383 candidates, 33 of them
women, in six north Bengal districts - Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri,
Darjeeling, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda - and Birbhum in
south Bengal.

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IndiaToday.in

April 17, 2016

UPDATED: April 18, 2016 10:27 IST

People show their voter cards at a polling booth during the 2nd phase of West Bengal Assembly Elections (ANI photo)

The second phase of voting in West Bengal Assembly elections began today morning at 7 am. Over 1.2 crore voters will seal the fate of 383 candidates, 33 of them women, in six north Bengal districts - Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda - and Birbhum in south Bengal.

The Election Commission had issued a showcase notice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal on April 14 for violating Model Code of Conduct.

Reacting to the notice, an unperturbed Banerjee had dared the Election Commission to take action against her and said people of the state would showcause it on May 19, the day of the result.

In both the cases, the Election Commission initiated action on the basis of complaints lodged by the Opposition parties.

In Birbhum, seven constituencies of Dubrajpur, Suri, Nalhati, Rampurhat, Sainthia, Hansan, and Murarai have been classified as left-wing extremism affected areas where polling will be held from 7 am till 4 am.

Elaborate multi-tier security arrangements have been made in these areas. In the remaining constituencies, voters will get two hour extra and can vote till 6 am.

Out of over 13,600 poll stations, the Election Commission has identified 2,909 as vulnerable where extra precaution is being taken to ensure free and fair elections.

The highest number of vulnerable booths are in the districts of Malda and Uttar Dinajpur.

Based on complaints received from the electorates, the poll watchdog has identified 16,315 voters as vulnerable. Most of them from Malda and Birbhum districts.

A star constituency is Darjeeling district's Siliguri, where former Indian football captain and Trinamool nominee Baichung Bhutia is pitted against ex state minister and CPI-M heavyweight Asok Bhattacharya.

Eyes will also be on Sujapur in Malda district where two relatives of late Congress stalwart A.B.A. Ghani Khan Choudhury -- affectionately called Barkatda -- are locking horns.

Choudhury's younger brother Abu Nasar Khan Choudhury, in the fray as the Trinamool nominee, is contesting against his nephew Isha Khan Choudhury, representing the Congress.